Cablegate: Bahrain: Unga Country-Specific Human Rights

R 161207Z NOV 09 ZDK
FM AMEMBASSY MANAMA
TO SECSTATE WASHDC 9020
INFO GULF COOPERATION COUNCIL COLLECTIVE
COMUSNAVCENT
HQ USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL

C O N F I D E N T I A L MANAMA 000655

DEPARTMENT FOR NEA, IO/RHA, AND DRL/MLGA

E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/16/2019
TAGS: PHUM PREL UNGA BA
SUBJECT: BAHRAIN: UNGA COUNTRY-SPECIFIC HUMAN RIGHTS
RESOLUTIONS

REF: STATE 116270

Classified By:Ambassador Adam Ereli for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).

1.(C) Poloff raised reftel resolutions with MFA Bilateral Affairs Director Dhafer Al Umran and reviewed Bahrain's reversal on last year's Iranian no-action motion and the Iran resolution itself. Al Umran confirmed that Bahrain changed its vote after a call from Iranian FM Mottaki to the Bahraini FM. He did not offer any further explanation or detail on the conversation. Poloff pressed for a commitment to vote against this year's no-action motion, or at least be absent, and pointed out that the situation was different this year in the wake of the post-election unrest in Iran. Al Umran said he would discuss the matter with FM Khalid bin Ahmed.

2.(C) Comment: Last year Iran lobbied Bahrain heavily and managed to sway its vote. If they repeat these tactics this year, it would likely require higher level intervention by the USG to prevail. ERELI

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